Work

Gravity-Driven Operation Mitigates Inorganic Fouling and Enables Low-Pressure Filtration in a Pilot-Scale Dynamic Membrane Bioreactor

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The filtration behaviors of dynamic membrane (DM) under gravity-driven and pump-driven modes were investigated in a pilot-scale DM bioreactor (DMBR) for domestic wastewater treatment. After DM formation, both modes achieved effective solid–liquid separation, producing effluent with turbidity below 1 NTU, with the gravity-driven module exhibiting marginally lower turbidity than the pump-driven system. Although the flux in the gravity-driven mode (30–48 L/m2·h) was approximately half that of the pump-driven mode, the transmembrane pressure (TMP) required was only 10–20% of that under the pump-driven operation. The DM formed under pump-driven conditions was thicker and more compact, leading to more frequent and rapid TMP increases. Inorganic content accounted for 85% of the pump-driven DM mass, significantly higher than that in the gravity-driven DM (50%) and activated sludge (15%), indicating a pronounced accumulation of inorganic solids on the mesh filter surface, particularly under the pump-driven operation. This accumulation increased filtration resistance and elevated TMP. Therefore, enhancing the removal of inorganic solids prior to the DMBR can improve system stability and facilitate broader application of the DMBR technology.

Source: Water

DOI: 10.3390/w17192799

Authors: Xuechun Liu, Dezheng Lv, Lugao Jiang, Guoqiang Liu

Institutions: Guilin University of Aerospace Technology, Jinan University

Language: English

Topic: Membrane Separation Technologies

Subfield: Water Science and Technology

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Clean water and sanitation

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137